Gun mounting with periscopic articulated gun sight



Jan. 2, 1945. W..B. KLEMPEI RER ETAL 2,366,410

GUN MOUNTING WITH PERISCOPIC ARTICULATED GUN SIGHT Filed Sept. 16, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet l Wozfamva 5. KZEMPEEEQ azzd 050x205 77/492477; v I, NTORS;

' JamZ, 1945.

w. B. KLEMPERER ETAL GUN MOUNTING WITH PERISCOPIC ARTICULATED GUN SIGHT 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 16. 1959 Wows/ma 5 KZEMPEEEQ and 050265 7544991477," N VNT ORS,

A TTORNE Y.

Jan. 2, 1945. w. B. KLEMPERER ET AL 2,366,410

GUN MOUNTING WITH PERISCQPIC ARTICULATED GUN SIGHT Filed Sept. 16, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 WozFaA/yci 5. MEMPEQEQ 022d Osaeaw 77/419 424 77,

11v VENTORS A TTORNEY.

.Fan. 2, 1945. w. B. KLEMPERER ET AL GUN MOUNTING WITH PERISCO PI C ARTICULATED GUN SIGHT Filed Sept. 16, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 WqzFan/va 5. Aim/P5254? @220 650265 719,488 477;

IN VENTORSS,

ATTORNEY- arcs of movement from rema ns. z, 1945 GUN MOUNTING WITH PERI SGOPIC LATED GUN SIGHT Wolfgang B. Klemperer, Los Angeles, and 'George Tharratt, Santa Monica, Calif., as'signors to Douglas Aircraft Company, Inc., Santa Monica,

,'Calif., a corporation 'of Delaware Application September 16, 1939, Serial No. mass 7 Claims.

Our invention relates in general to armament and especially to armament for aircraft, and relates in particular to a gun and gun sight having a number of novel features as hereinafter set forth.

It is an object of the invention to provide in a gun emplacement especially suited for use on aircraft a gun plvotally mounted for purpose'of aiming, and a un sight associated with the gun a which will enable the gunner to occupy a position other than one in which his lin of vision isaligned with the axis of a sighting means secured to and moving with the gun. For example, inithe ordinary sighting of rapid fire or machine guns such as used on aircraft, the gunner occupies a position with his head near the butt of the gun so that he can peer along a gun sight or telescope mounted substantially parallel to the barrel of the As the un is moved from'one position to another in aiming the same, the gunner must move his head and likewise portions of his body so as to keep theoptical axis of his eye 'or'eyes in alignment.- with the sight. The foregoing condition has placed restrictions on the practices of gun mounting and operation, which it is an object of the present invention to avoid. In the presentinvention the eye of the gunner may be offset or remote from a gun sight axis disposed parallel to the gun barrel, thereby making it possible to improve the art of aircraft gunner'y with respect to greater freedom in design especially with regard. to the selection of positions for gun emplacement, reduction in the size of gun turrets or canopies to a minimum by rea. son of the fact thatoin the practice of the invention it is not necessary for the gunner to occupy the gun turret,' the mounting of guns exteriorly ofsealedcabins in which the gunners reside in an oxygen supplied atmosphere or one maintained at'higher pressure than the pressure of air external to the cabin, and greater ease and rapidity of gun pointing by'rea in-of the fact that the gunner need move but li e from 9. normal position in a gunne'rs seat, or not-at all while the gun is moved rapidly through selected another.

It is an object of the invention to provide with a gun which is movably mounted for the purpose of aiming. a mslght having a view piece conone aiming position tov eyepiecedisposed in a position convenient to the sight of a gunner, and an articulated connection between the view piece and the eyepiece providing relative movement of the view piece and the eyepiece and having optical means for transmitting the image received by the objective lens system of the view plate to the lens system of the eyepiece.

It is a further object of the invention to provide with a gun mounted so as to have movement relative to two intersecting substantially perpendicular axes, a gun sighthaving a field lens system embraced in a view piece connected to the gun so as to move therewith relative to both axes, an eye-lens system carried in an eyepiece mounted so as to move only on-oneofthe axes, and an articulated lens system for transmitting to the eye lens system the target image received by the field lens system.

Referring to the drawings which are for illustrative purpose only: Y v Fig. 1 ,is a fragmentary section showing preferred forms of our invention.

Fig.- 2 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken as substantially as indicated'by the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 lat. cross-section taken substantially as indicated by the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken as indicated by the line l-l of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a diagram of the optical system employed in our invention. I e Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-section through the desiycator.

In Fig. l we show a wall it forming a chamber II which may be isolated from the external at-- mosphere. Such wall It may be a part of the body structure on the aircraft and the chamber H may be substantially sealed so that a desired atmospheric condition may be maintained therein. A turret I2 'is shown projecting externally from the wall Ill, such turret being of relatively small size and having a minimum projection from the wall ill considering the size of gun and operating mechanism employed therefor. The

turret I2 is substantially; spherical and the lower sectional portion l3 thereof occupies a hemispherical detaining an objective lens system, which viewpiece 1 isconnected to the gunso as to move therewith so as to maintain the optical field of the gun sight 'in a prescribed relation to the line of travel of a projectile fired iron the gun, a gun sight as c ny ng the seat It. The periscopic, telescope pression in the wall It. A gun I! is mounted in the turret so as to project therefrom and a gunner s support preferably in the form of a seat It is provided within the chamber ll preferably directly below the turret l2, there being a periscopic gun sight I! havingan eyepiece l8 disposed convenient to the optic of agunner l8 ocgun sight IT provides a means whereby the gunner within the chamber ll may have external vision and may readily sight the gun I5 on a target. Under his control means are provided as will be later explained whereby the gun may be rapidly swung .with universal movement so as to be brought quickly to bear on a target.

In the present arrangement the gunner does not occupy a space within the rotating turret and accordingly the size of the turret may be reduced so as to accommodate only the butt end of the gun and the associated operating mechanism. Therefore, the projection of the armament from the wall I may be maintained substantially at 'a minimum so that the drag on the aircraft due to the projection of the armament need not be large. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the wall forming the depression l4 supports an annulartrack 2| around its upper edge and a central bearing structure 22 in the bottom thereof and defining a vertical axis of rotation A-A. Through this bearing structure 22 a hollow column or hollow supporting arm 23 is coaxially extended. This column 23 being connectedv at 24 to a central bearing structure 25, which, as shown in Fig. 4, carries roller bearings 25 for supporting a gun mount including two portions joined together by bolted flanges 21, these two portions comprising a gun support 28 and a drive section 29, these a housing 31 projecting upwardly and forwardly, as shown in Fig. 3, this housing having a passage 38 which joins the passage in the manner of an elbow. The drive section carries a worm' wheel segment 39, Figs. 3 and 4, in downwardly projecting relation so as to be engaged by a worm screw 40 carried in a housing 4| fixed at the upper end of the column 23. The worm is selectively driven by a suitable power means, here represented as a motor 42 whereby the gear segment may be caused to rotate through a limited are around the axis 3-3, to swing the gun mount in such a manner that the gun I5 will be elevated or depressed. As best shown in Fig, 2, the central bearing structure 22 comprises a packing box 43 for sealing around the column or rotatable arm 23 where it projects from the interior of the cabin H through the wall 20. A worm gear 44 secured rigidly to the upper end of the outer wall 22' of the packing box sothat it will be held stationary around the column 23.

A housing 45 is secured to the column in a posi-- 'tion to cover the stationary worm gear 44, and supports therein a worm screw 45 for engagement with the worm gear 44, there being a ball type thrust bearing 41 mounted on the upper The invention also includes novel features and I constructions embraced in the gun sight I! which comprises an articulated telescope with a view piece supported so that it will be always in a prescribed position relative to the gun ii. For example, in the present invention the optical axis of the view piece 50 is disposed substantially parallel to the barrel 5| of the gun l5.

In the preferred practice of the invention I have used parts of the gun mount and column structure to form the articulated gun sight. For example, I prefer to mount the diagonal supporting tube 52 on the tubular housing 31. this tube 52 having a housing 53 at its upper end by which it is connected to the view piece 50. Within this housing 53 a suitable image reflecting means, such as a prism 54 is mounted, so that the image received by the lens system of the view piece will be reflected down through the tubular arm 52. Here the image passes through a dove prism 55 secured in a sleeve 55 which is rotatable in the lower portion of the tube 52. A refiecting means 51, in the form of a mirror or prism, is mounted in the elbow formed by the intersection of the passages 35 and 35, the image being thereby reflected to another diagonally disposed reflector 55 positioned in the space 35 of the bearing structure '25 in alignment with the upper end of the column 23. In the upper part of the column 23 I place an erecting lens, system comprising lenses 55 and 5|, and at the lower end of the column 23 there is a housing 59 carrying a diagonal reflector comprising a pentaprism 55 for transmitting the image to the lens system of the .eyepiece l5.

The gun sight has sections which have relative rotation on the axis BB. For example, as'the gun i5 is swung upwardirom its position of Fig. 3, the tube 52 will revolve in clockwise direction, since such tube is connected directly to the gun mount. Accordingly, th prism 51 will have rotation relative to the prism 55, which would produce a rotation'of the image at the eye piece were it not for the presence of .the dove prism 55 having means for rotating it in a manner to keep the image at all times erect as the upper part of. the gun sight comprising the view piece- 55 and the tubular arm 52 are swung relative to the lower part comprising the column 23 and the eyepiece i8. The means for rotating the \dove prism55 includes a'ring bevel gear ll secured to the lower end of a tube 55, a'bevelpinion 52 secured to-the inner end of a shaft which pro iects through the housing I! and has a gear 54 face of the worm gear so as to engage the radial wall of the housing 45 to support the load of the column 23 and a major portion of the vertical \load of the gun mount situated at the upper end,

of the column 23. A motor 48 is mounted by means of a bracket 45 on the housing 45, and this motor is connected-to the screw 45 so as to drive the same and to thereby accomplish rotation of the turret I2 and the cooperating gun and mountin parts on the axis A-A. By cooperaflxed on the outer end thereof. A gear segment 55 is secured in a position coaxial with the axis B-B to a bearing case 55 which'is carried on an ,extension or bracket 51 projecting laterally from the lower part of the bearing structure 25. The gear ratio from the segment 55 through the gears 54 and 52 tothe gear 5| is one to two so that as the arm 52' and the prism 51 at the lower end thereof are rotated, there will be a rotation of the dove prism through such corresponding are as to compensate for the image rotation which would be otherwise present.

v The gunners seat I5 is mounted on a suitable bearing plate 52a and'is connected with the gun mount so as to rotate therewith .on the axis A-A. This connection is accomplished by'use of a tube 69a which projects down from the colinterior of'the cup 92 by the inwardly flowing I umn 23 to the bracket 84:: on which the seat is mounted. The gunner I9 when occupying the seat I6 is positioned so that his eyes will be view piece 50, the gun I may be fired. In Fig.

3, we diagrammatically show a control system for the motors 42 and 48 which may be operated by the gunner and which is representative of control means now known to the art. From,a generator 66', a feed conductor 61' is extendedto 'both of the motors, and-from these motors conductors 68 and 69 are carried back to rheostat switches I0 and II which are connected through a conductor 12 with the side of the generator 89 opposite from that to which the conductor 91' is connected. These rheost'at controls I0 and II are provided with handles I3 and I4 respectively by which they may be manually operated to control the energization with the movements required to aim the gun I 5.

The lens system of the articulated gun sight is shown diagrammatically in Fig. 5. The view piece 50 has objective lenses 82 and 83 which project the image of the field to a focal plane 94 which is provided with a suitable reticule represented by the center dot 85.- The image then passes respectively through the prism 54, the dove prism 55, the prisms 51 and 58, the erecting lens system comprised of lenses 80 and'8l, and the pentaprism B0 to the focal plane 86, from which focal plane 86 the lenses 81 and 88 of the eyepiece carry the image to the eye of the gunner.-

The lenses or reflecting mediums are diagrammatically shown. For example, the orientation of'the dove prism 55 on its longitudinal axis will, of course, depend upon the angle of the tube, 52 relative to vertical.

A special feature of the invention consists the provision of the telescopic gun sight with a desiccator 90 which keeps the air within the structure of the gun sight essentially'dry, but permits an inflow and outflow of air as may be required to balance the interior pressure with the pressure 'of the external atmosphere which varies with the change in elevation of the aircraft. As shown in Fig. 6, this desiccator 90 is secured to a hollow part of the gun sight I1, for

'- example, to the column 23 and has a fitting 9| including a cup 92 communicating through an opening 93 in its base and an opening 94 in the in Figs. 2 and 3 a desiccator 90',- of the same' column'23, with the interior of the column 23.

A cylindrical receptacle 95 having an open inner end 98 is connected detachably to the cup 02 as by means of a threaded joint 91. Near the lower or outer end of this receptacle 95 there is a wall 98 having an intake valve opening 99 and an outlet valve opening I00, both of these openings 98 and I00 being covered by closure discs IM and I02 supported by springs I03. Aperforate A supporting wall I04 isspaced from the end wall 98 and a removable and replaceable cartridge I05 ispositioned adjacent the wall I04, such cartridge including a, mass of water absorbing material such as activated alumina, siliva gel, etc. Ad- 'jacent the upper or inner end of the cartridge I05 there is a layer of fibrous material to filter out air. To hold the filter I01 and the cartridge I05 in proper position for operation a removable.

perforate plate I08 is pressed downward by means of a spring I09 disposed within the cup g As the aircraft carrying the gun sight ascends I the reduction in atmospheric pressure will cause aflow of air from the interior of the gun sight I! out through the cartridge: I05 and the outlet valve I00. And likewise, when the aircraft descends the increase of the external air pressure will result in a breathing of air in through the intake valve opening 99, and the mass of mate-, rial I08 of the cartridge I05 through the passages 93 and 94 to the interior of the column 28 which is connected with the remaining spaces in the gun sight. The spring pressed closure elements IM and I02 keep the charge of the cartridge Ill isolated from the moisture of the external at-.

' mosphere, excepting such of the external air as may enter the desiccator in the normal breathing of air into the interior spaces of the gun sight. Due to the changes in elevation at which the aircraft carrying the gun sight is operated, therexis not only a change in applied atmospheric pressure, but also reductions in temperature which cause condensation of moisture I present in isolated bodies of air. In our present gun sight reduction of temperature of air contained in the interior spaces of the gun sight will not cause fogging of the interior lenses and prism or reflector surfaces bymoisture condensation, since the air which enters the gun sight is dried by the desiccator .to such extent that it has a very low dew point. The active element of the desiccator 90, namely, the cartridge I05, may be replaced from time to time, and it is preferable to mount the desiccator 90in such position that it will be easy of access. As shown v construction as the desiccator 90, is placed in communication with the outer part of the housing of the gun sight. -It may be conveniently connected to the tubular member 52, so that it will serve the outer portion of the gun sight, whereas, the desiccator 90 will serve the inner portion of the gun sight.

In Fig. l, in order to indicate the breadth of application to whibh the invention is applicable, we show a turret l2 mounted in the lower wall I 0' of the aircraft body in a position to project downward therefrom, or in a direction opposite to the projection of the turret I2. By means of such turret I2 a gun I5 is mounted in a position below the body of the aircraft, and ls.supported by cooperating parts. substantially the same asthose disclosed in Figs. 2, 3-, and 4, which parts are turned upside down so that the column flne particles which may be carried toward the lo 23' which is representative of the column 28 of the preferred form of the invention will project upward across the front of a gunners seat II,

to support an eyepiece I9 at the upper end of the tube or column 28. .in'alignment with the axis thereof. -A gunner I9 occupyin the seat I 6' may readily lean over, as shown, so as to peer down into the-eyepiece I8 of the gun sight which ing said arm so that it my project through said to seal around wall and rotate on an axis extending therewith through said wall; sealing means to. seal around said arm where it passes through said wall; a gun pivotally mounted on the outer portion of said arm so as to swing on an axis extending crosswise of the axis of said arm; an articulated gun sight having a view piece connected to said sun so as to swing therewith as the gun is aimed,

' an eyepiece disposed within"said cabin, and optical means extending in part through said hollow arm from said eyepiec to said view piece to transmit to said eyepiece the image received by said view piece; a gimners support rotatably mounted in said cabin; and means for rotating said gunners support with said arm.

2. In a gunnery device of the character described for use with a wall ofa substantially sealed cabin or the like, the combination of: a hollow supporting arm; bearing means supporting said arm so that it may project through said wall and rotate on an axis extending therewith through said wall; sealing means to seal around said arm wher it passes through said wall; a gun pivotally mounted on the outer portion of said arm so as to swing on an axis extending crosswise of th axis of said arm; an articulated gun sight having a view piece connected to said gun so asto swing therewith as the gun is aimed,

.' an eyepiece disposed within said cabin, and optical means extending in part through said hollow arm from said eyepiece to said view piece to transmit to said eyepiece the image received by said view piece; a gunners support rotatably mountedin said cabin so as to carry a gunner in a position to use said eyepiece; and means connecting said gunners support to said arm so that it will revolve with said arm on the axis of said-arm 3. In a gunnery device of the character described for use with a wall, of a cabin or the like,

having a depr ission therein, the combination of turret means seated in said depression; a supporting arm projecting inward from said turret means; bearing means supporting said arm in a position projecting through saidwall and rotating on an axis extending therewith through said will; a gun supported in said turret means so asto swingon a lin in crossing relation to said axis; an articulatedgun si ht having a view piece connected to said gun s as to swing with the gun-in all of its" directions 01' movement as the gun is aimed, an eyepiece disposed within column so as to rotate on an axis extending in crosswise relation to said first named axis; a gun turret mounted on the upper end of said column in a position to enclose at least a part of said gun; power means in said turret for moving said gun; a-gunners support connected to the lower end of said column so as to rotate therewith; means to seal around said column where it passes through said wall; means operative to control the operation of said power means; and a telescopic gun sight extending upward from a position contiguous to said gunners support upward through said sealing means to a point in cooperative relation to said gun.

5. In combination with a gunnery device of the character described having an aimable gun, a gun mount pivotally supporting said gun and means to pivotally support said gun mount, power i means operative to move said gun for the pursaid" cabin, and articulated optical means extend- I ing inpart along said arm from said eyepiece to saidview piece to transmit to said eyepiece the image received by said view piece; and means said arm where it passes through said wall. 1 o

4. In a gunne device of the character described for use'with a wall, the combination oi an upright column member mounted was to extend through said wall and rota e on an axis extending substantially longitudin ly thereof; a

' ,gun pivotally connected totlie upper end of said pose of aiming the same, and control means for said power means operative by a gunner: a gunner's seat connected to said gun mount so as to move therewith as the gun mount is swung on said means to pivotally support the same; a gun sight having a view piece, an eye piece, and articulated optical means for transmitting to said eye iece the image received by said view piece;

means for connecting said'view piece in fixed relation to said gun so that it will move with said gun in all of its aiming movements; and means for supporting said eye piece on said gun mount in a position convenient to the ey of the gunner occupying said gurmers seat and in fixed spacial relation to the gunners seat whereby said gun mount, said gunners seat, and said eye piece will swing as a unit.

6. A device as described in claim 5 wherein said gun mount projects through the wall of an aircraft cabin and sealing means is placed operatively around said gun mount above said eye piece of said gun sight."

7. The combination with a gun pivotally supported on a gun mount so as to swing relatively to said gun mount on one axis, and bearing means supporting said gun mount so that it will rotate on a second axis of a gun sight comprising: an upper tubular section rigidly connected to said gun so as to swing with said gun in all of its aiming movements; a lower tubular section connected to said gun mount and extending through said bearing means; means operatively connecting the lower end of said upper section witiithe upper end or said lower section; a gun sight optical system carried in said tubular members having its objective at the upper end of said upper tubular member and its eye piece at the lower end of said lower tubularmember below said bearing means, said optical system comprising a rotating lens in said upper tubular member; and means operative in response to the swinging of said gun relatively to said Sun mount to operate said rotating lens.

WOLFGANG B. KLEMPERER. GEORGE THARRA'I'I'. 

